April 27, 2008

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai criticized the US and British conduct of the war in Afghanistan, telling The New York Times in an interview published today his Government must be accorded the lead in policy decisions.

Mr Karzai told the newspaper he wanted US forces to stop arrestingsuspected Taliban members and their sympathizers, saying that fear ofarrest along with past mistreatment were discouraging them from comingforward and laying down their arms. "It has to happen," he said of theend to such arrests.

In calling for greater Afghan autonomy, Mr Karzai said, "For the successof the world in Afghanistan, it would be better to recognize thisinherent character in Afghanistan and work with it and support it."

"Eventually, if the world is to succeed in Afghanistan, it will be bybuilding the Afghan state, not by keeping it weak," he told the Times athis presidential office.

Mr Karzai said relations with Pakistan's new government began on a goodnote. "I am fairly confident of their good intentions," he said. "If thecurrent government has the full backing of the military and intelligencecircles in Pakistan and with the good intentions that they have, thingswill improve."

KABUL, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai strongly criticized theBritish and American conduct of the war here on Friday, insisting in aninterview that his government be given the lead in policy decisions.

Mr. Karzai said that he wanted American forces to stop arrestingsuspected Taliban and their sympathizers, and that the continued threatof arrest and past mistreatment were discouraging Taliban from comingforward to lay down their arms.

He criticized the American-led coalition as prosecuting the war onterrorism in Afghan villages, saying the real terrorist threat lay insanctuaries of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan.

The president said that civilian casualties, which have droppedsubstantially since last year, needed to cease completely. For nearlytwo years the American-led coalition has refused to recognize the needto create a trained police force, he said, leading to a critical lack oflaw and order.

The comments came as Mr. Karzai is starting to point toward re-electionnext year, after six years in office, and may be part of a politicalcalculus to appear more assertive in his dealings with foreign powers asopponents line up to challenge him.

But they also follow a serious dip in his relations with some of thecountries contributing to the NATO-led security force and thereconstruction of Afghanistan, and indicate that as the insurgency hasescalated, so, too, has the chafing among allies.

Complaints have been rising for months among diplomats and visitingforeign officials about what is seen as Mr. Karzais weak leadership, inparticular his inability to curb narcotics trafficking and to removeineffective or corrupt officials. Some diplomats have even expresseddismay that, for lack of an alternative, the country and its donors mayface another five years of poor management by Mr. Karzai.

He was quick to reject such criticism, pointing out the immensedifficulties that he and his government faced What is it we have notgone through? while trying to rebuild a state that was utterly destroyed.

He called instead for greater respect of Afghanistans fierceindependence, and for more attention to be paid to building up thecountry, than doing things for it.

For the success of the world in Afghanistan, it would be better torecognize this inherent character in Afghanistan and work with it andsupport it, he said, speaking at his presidential office. Eventually,if the world is to succeed in Afghanistan, it will be by building theAfghan state, not by keeping it weak.

Mr. Karzai said he was fighting corruption, a problem that is among thechief complaints heard frequently by diplomats and Afghans alike. Mr.Karzai said he had just fired an official the previous day and would befiring more soon.

Yet the president explained that Afghanistan had never had so much moneyand resources pouring in, or seen such disparities in salaries, and wassimply not capable yet of preventing the corruption.

He admitted that lots of things in the last six years could have beenhandled better and singled out policies led by the United States, namelytackling terrorism and handling the Taliban, both as prisoners and onthe battlefield.

On terrorism, he repeated a call he has made for several years, thatsanctuaries across the border in Pakistan be closed off.

There is no way but to close the sanctuaries, he said. Pakistan willhave no peace, Pakistans progress will suffer, so will Afghanistanspeace and progress, so will the worlds. If you want to live, and livein peace, and work for prosperity, that has to happen. The sanctuariesmust go, period.

The deaths of civilians in the fighting have also been a big problem, hesaid. It seriously undermines our efforts to have an effective campaignagainst terrorism, he said. While NATO says civilian casualties havedeclined in the last six months, Mr. Karzai said that was not good enough.

I am not happy with civilian casualties coming down; I want an end tocivilian casualties, he said. As much as one may argue its difficult,I dont accept that argument.

He added, Because the war against terrorism is not in Afghan villages,the war against terrorism is elsewhere, and thats where the war shouldgo, referring to the Taliban and Qaeda sanctuaries in Pakistan.

He said the issue had caused tension between him and American officials.While those moments were very, very difficult, I must also be fair tosay that our partners in America have recognized my concerns and haveacted on them in good faith.

One of the biggest mistakes of the last six years has been the handlingof the Taliban, he said, and the failure of his government to guaranteeformer members the amnesty that Mr. Karzai promised when the movementwas toppled in December 2001.

He blamed mistreatment by some warlords and American forces for drivingthe Taliban out of the country, to Pakistan, where they regrouped andtook up weapons again.

Some of the warlords, and the coalition forces at times, in certainareas of the country, behaved in a manner that frightened the Taliban tomove away from Afghanistan, he said. That should not have happened.

The weakness of his own government meant that he learned only much laterof some of the things that were occurring, he said.

He gave an example of a former member of the Taliban who was quietlyrunning a paint shop in Kabul and had been arrested three times byAmerican and Afghan security services.

We have to make sure that when a Talib comes to Afghanistan, that he issafe from arrest by the coalition, he said. And we dont come to knowwhen the coalition arrests them; it is a major problem for us, a problemthat we have spoken about repeatedly without solution.

Asked if he could stop American forces from arresting suspected Talibanor their sympathizers in Afghanistan, he said, We are working hard onit, very hard on it.

He added, It has to happen.

Mr. Karzai said he had not complained to the Americans about theirtreatment of people in their custody, despite long detentions, becausehe did not have details of specific cases.

Despite the many problems, Mr. Karzai expressed optimism overAfghanistans path, and said that the change of government in Pakistancould bring progress against terrorism. We began on a very good note,he said of relations with the new government, led by the party of formerPrime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in December.

I am fairly confident of their good intentions, he said. If thecurrent government has the full backing of the military and intelligencecircles in Pakistan and with the good intentions that they have, thingswill improve.

The president said he supported the Pakistani governments efforts tomake peace with Taliban there who were not a threat to the rest of theworld.

But if the deal is with those that are hard-core terrorists, Al Qaeda,and are bent upon sooner or later again causing damage to Pakistan, andto Afghanistan and to the rest of the world, then thats wrong and weshould definitely not do it.

He said he did not know Baitullah Mehsud, the militant leader who hasbeen accused of instigating Ms. Bhuttos assassination, but said hewould send him some advice: All that he is doing is hurting his ownpeople, that he shouldnt do that.

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* Firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.
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Proposed change to the US Constitution

I. Powers and Rights Reserved To We the People, Never Delegated or Violated Without Consent

A. The People are expressly defined as human beings and does not refer to corporations or contractual relationships.

B. No contract, agreement, or promise may ever bind any human to refuse to enforce the law, or prohibit them from speaking on matters of public interest.

C. We the People may believe anything, including the possible belief that this Constitution must be discarded and replaced with a superior document which defends the People and protects their power to enforce this Constitution against the Government.

D. The People are educated to apply the lessons of history to ensure rights are preserved, power asserted, and this Constitution is protected from domestic and foreign enemies.

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F. The People have the enforceable right to engage in any speech, communication, or discussion on issues of war crimes, government incompetence, or allegations of reckless government planning and maladministration.

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H. The People have the right to affordable housing. Where none is available, the government is denied the power to prosecute anyone for not living in a home, or residing in a public park, open forest, or public lands.

I. The People have the enforceable right to freely travel, without questions, and without delay. Any law enforcement officer, agents, or contacted security official who uses any ruse, scheme, or deception to engage in pretextual stops shall be enforced as a violation of this Constitution.

J. The People have the enforceable right to compel govenment officials, contractors, and securty personnel to identify themselves, disclose their policies and procedures, and respond to complaints about violations of this Constitution, the Supreme Law, or laws of war.

K. The People may not be subject to any electronic surveillance except on probable cause and a warrant before a judicial tribunal. The President, Congress and others are expressly denied the power to enact, create, use, or rely on quasi-judicial tribunals to self-certify warrants to conduct surveillance.

L. All denied powers to the US Government in this Constitution are reserved to the People to be used to defend the Constitution.

II. Powers and Rights Reserved to States

A. States shall have authority to enforce any law within their jurisdiction. Failure to enforce the laws of war shall be prosecuted as a war crime.

B. States shall, when the Federal Government refuses to enforce the Constitution or Supreme Law, enforce the national and international law against contractors, legal counsel, state or US government officials.

C. Any state may start impeachment investigations or proceedings against the President, Member of Congress, or US government official on issues of international laws of war, domestic rebellion, or violations of the Supreme Law oath of office, or Geneva Conventions. The States shall, upon receipt of an impeachment investigation or conviction from any other state, shall within 10 days debate that resolution. If convicted by 2/3 of the States, that US government official shall be removed from office. Any effort to thwart State efforts to enforce the US Constitution through impeachment investigations or impeachment proceedings at the State level may be construed as a subsequent violation of this Constitution and laws of war.

D. The States may, without notice, organize themselves to collectively defend this Constitution from the domestic enemies in the United States government. The States Governors have the standing power, right, and authority to use deadly combat force to enforce this Constitution against US government officials.

E. A failure of any State official to enforce the laws of war shall be subject to a war crimes trial within 90 days of discovering that evidence. Where there are credible allegations of war crimes, a failure to investigate shall be construed as a subsequent war crime, punishable by the death penalty.

F. States have the power to enforce contract obligations between contractors and the US government which affect the rights of their State citizens. Failure to enforce these contractual obligations against the contractors or US government could be construed as a subsequent violation under the laws of war and US Constitution against legal counsel, state officials, or court officers.

III. Independent Branch

A. All US government, contractor-provided, and legal counsel data shall be retained in an independent branch.

B. The President, Congress, and Judicial branches have no power, right or claim to not fully fund this Independent Branch.

C. The Independent Branch conducts electronic surveillance of the US government, stores that data, and ensures there are independent, safe, retained records of all US government transaction, including conversations and memos between legal counsel and government officials. Once created for the government or connected with any legal or illegal activity, these records are public records.

D. The data may be seen only upon a showing of reasonable belief or suspicion by the United States Congress, Court, or Executive Branch that the information may be useful in enforcing the Constitution, Supreme Law, or Geneva Conventions.

E. Private citizens may view any data, unless the US government provides sufficient, detailed evidence why that request for information should not be met for bonafide, lawful secrets. Any effort to hide evidence behind a claim of "state secrets," where that claim is linked with an effort to bypass the Constitution, oath of office, Supreme Law, or laws of war may be punishable by the death penalty.

F. All government data belongs to the People. Any legal counsel working for the US government shall ensure that the People's right to reliable information is protected. A failure to protect this information could be construed as a war crime.

IV. Prosecutorial Branch

A. All prosecutorial options are denied of the President.

B. The Prosecutorial branch has the power to raise independent combat power, support them, and may lawfully use that deadly combat force to confront Members of Congress, the Judicial Branch Officers, or the Presidents upon showing of probable cause for war crimes.

C. The prosecutorial power is the exclusive power of the prosecution branch. However, anyone may make a claim of illegal activity, and enforce the laws of the United States and States respectively. Any effort to block anyone from unilaterally attempting to enforce the laws of war through discovery, investigation, and open discussion of those alleged war crimes shall be construed as a possible subsequent offense under the laws of war.

D. Legal counsel are subject to public review, audit, and can be required, with fair notice, of a requirement to demonstrate before any court their compliance with the laws of war.

E. Legal counsel may be denied authority to conduct discovery during any investigation when that discovery is linked with efforts that would thwart war crimes investigation, enforcement of the Supreme law or Geneva Conventions.

V. Judicial Branch

A. The Judicial Branch is above the Legislative Branch and Executive Branch only in order of precedence. The Judicial Branch is a co-equal branch, and closest to the People and Constitution. It is least responsive, and most slow to the People's daily interests to enforce the Constitution and Supreme Law or Geneva Conventions.

B. Where the Judicial Branch does not timely enforce the Constitution, Supreme Law, or laws of war, the States and People retain the power and right to investigate and prosecute allegations of US government illegal activity, war crimes, or violations of the Supreme law.

C. All precedents under the laws of war are binding on the Judicial Branch, US government, and the People through enforcement actions.

D. Any decision by any judicial officer not to fully enforce the laws of war, Supreme Law, or this Constitution may be construed as a war crime, subject to the death penalty.

VI. Legislative Branch

A. The Legislative Branch is listed after the Judicial Branch because it is less responsive to the People.

B. The Members of Congress may be stopped between sessions and held to account for their failure to enforce the laws of war.

C. Refusing to investigate or impeach the President, Judicial Officers, or any current or former US government official for alleged war crimes, maladministration, illegal warfare, or other crimes against the People, States, or US Government shall be prima facie evidence of an intent to not fully assert ones oath of office, and punishable by the death penalty under the laws of war.

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E. The Superior Chamber shall decide, before any debate, whether the proposed bill is or is not Constitutional. This determination is subject to approval, challenge, and rejection by the People, States, and Judicial Branch.

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G. The Congress shall comply with public audits, and timely provide within 45 days of an audit report a statement of remedy, and outline a plan within 90 days to fully comply with all legal obligations under the Statute, Supreme Law, oath of office, and laws of war.

H. The Congress may raise and support an army, and independently order that army only against the President when the President refuses to enforce the laws of war, or comply with his legal obligations under this Constitution.

VII. Executive Branch

A. The Executive Branch is led by three Presidents, co-equal with non-overlapping jurisdictions. The Executive Branch has one power: Executive Power. All actions taken under that one power are lesser authorities not powers. The Executive Branch has no power to create new powers or assign itself broader power.

B. The Executive Branch is listed last because it is the least responsive to the People, and the greatest threat of tyranny to this Constitution. The President is a clerk, not a King or Emperor. The President only manages programs. The President has no power to ignore, rewrite, or refuse to enforce the law. Each of the three Presidents shall have an ongoing requirement to demonstrate to the People and States and Congress and Courts compliance with the Constitution, Supreme Law, oath of office, and laws of war.

C. The Domestic Affairs President is responsive to the States and US Government on internal affairs.

D. The Foreign Affairs President shall have exclusive power to interact with foreign powers. The Foreign Affairs President is denied any power to violate the laws of war, or use covert activity against American citizens.

E. The Executive Branch, Congress, Judiciary, and Foreign Affairs President are denied the power to thwart any lawful State action to organize with foreign powers and agents to defend the US Constitution, enforce the laws of war, or protect the rights and powers of the People and States against domestic encroachments by the US government, legal counsel, or other US government officials.

F. The Commander in Chief shall only have power to lead combat operations during war time. Congress shall conduct ongoing, public reviews whether the Commander in Chief is or is not competent in managing combat operations. The Presidents and Commander in Chief are denied the power to prohibit Congress from using electronic surveillance or use separately raised and supported armies to conduct this oversight during wartime and peacetime.

G. The Executive Branch is denied the power to block anyone from getting access to illegal activity related to the laws of war.

H. During Peacetime, the Commander in Chief shall periodically cooperate with ongoing Oversight of US combat forces to ensure they are combat ready, fully trained on the laws of war, and prepared to lawfully be used to defend the Constitution against foreign and domestic enemies.

I. The Executive Branch and Presidents and officers, agents, contractors, and personnel are denied the power, right, or authority to order anyone to ignore any statute, law, legal requirement, or obligation under the Constitution.

J. The Executive Branch has no power or authority to directly contact the Legislative Branch by name. The President may only request, not order other branches of government. All Communications between the Executive and Legislative Branch shall pass through the Prosecutorial Branch, and retained in the National Archives. Those records are available for public inspection at any time. The People have the enforceable right to compel the Executive Branch, Legislature, and Judicial Branch to produce documents.

K. The Executive Branch, Congress, Judicial Branch, and Prosecutorial Branch, and States are denied the power to wage warfare, information warfare, or harass American civilians through his agents, combat troops, or third parties in the United states or from overseas. Any funds used for this illegal purpose belong to the People and States. Contracts used to enforce, compel, or organize this illegal activity are not enforceable, and contrary to public policy.

L. The Presidents are denied a presumption of competence until proven. The President shall always have the burden of proof, and is expressly denied a presumption of good faith until demonstrated with overwhelming evidence in public. An election result is not proof of competence nor does it satisfy a presumption of good faith, only of mastery to win an election through legal or illegal methods and deception.

M. The Executive Branch and Presidents and subordinate agency head, contractor, and employees are expressly denied any assurance any conversation he has related to illegal activity, war crimes, unlawful acts, or other threats to the US Constitution shall remain secret behind any shield, scheme, agreement, or technology. Any order a President or anyone gives to anyone to hide, destroy,not provide, or conceal evidence of illegal activity may be construed as a subsequent war crime, punishable by the death penalty. This restriction against following illegal orders may not be bypassed by claiming the order was from a non-person, electronic device, or other non-Constitutionally recognized entity, database, policy, guide, or other document.

N. The Presidents are denied the power to use any combat force, technology, or other military weapon or plan against American civilians, except in cases of internal rebellion which only the Congress shall approve in writing. When the Congress fails to act, or abuses its authority, the State Governors may lawfully use deadly combat force to detain and enforce the laws of war prohibiting illegal use of force against American civilians.

O. The Presidents are denied the power to induce any civilian to take any action that might deny them on any Geneva protections as a civilian. Any order, ruse, scheme, propaganda, or unreliable information to induce anyone to wage war, information warfare, or any action to harass civilians is punishable by the death penalty, and may be enforced as a violation of the laws of war.

P. The President, when delegating any power to any agency head, agrees that that agency shall be organized as if it were a separate, lesser, and not coequal branch. Those agencies shall fully cooperate with the other branches of government to ensure power within the branch or department is divided. There is no single agency, division, or office in the Executive Branch that is beyond ongoing oversight by the other four branches.

Q. The President shall have no power to block the Congress, States, Judiciary, Prosecutorial, and Independent Branch from a having co-equal status to oversee, manage, and organize that lesser branch. If the President refuses to substantially comply with that requirement, Congress may not lawfully provide funding for that agency, and the funds return to the States and People.

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Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?
Trying to train the next generation of diplomats what the issues that they will face are, how to survive the coming hard times and how to conduct themselves so that they, unlike most of their role models, DO THE RIGHT THING. They are inheriting a neocon Klusterfuck, are ill prepared and need whatever help they can get.